Sunday, November 27, 2005

Nepal has decided to express concern and seek compensation for deterioration of country’s natural resources due to emission of harmful gases by the industrialised nations at an international conference that begins on Monday. As many as 189 countries are participating in the Conference of Parties of United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held from November 28 to December 9 in Montreal, Canada. Joint-secretary of Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Lok Darshan Regmi, will represent Nepal in the conference. His agenda: how can Nepal benefit from the Clean Development Mechanism.“I will raise the issue of making the industrialised countries compensate us for the deterioration of our resources, caused due to climate change,” he told The Himalayan Times before leaving the country. He said poor families in Dolakha and Solumkhumbu had to be evacuated due the possibility of bursting of the mountain lakes, which is a direct fallout of climate change caused by the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere. He claimed that scores of mountain lakes are on the verge of bursting due to the effects of climate change. “We have not harmed the earth. Rather, we have conserved the world environment by following traditional life style, practicing eco-friendly technologies and growing trees. We need to be paid as per the provision of Kyoto Protocol,” he said.The Kyoto Protocol, effective from February 12, has a provision that the industrial countries should reduce carbon emission and if that is not possible must pay the countries or institutionsthat have played a prominent role in growing trees or sequestrating carbon, thus earning carbon credits for lowering the amount of harmful gases in the atmosphere. Regmi says Nepal recently set a record in developing community forests through people’s efforts, earning carbon credits that can be sold in the carbon trading market. Regmi informed, “We will ask the Clean Development Mechanism executive board to accept carbon credits generated by non-renewable sources of energy like bio-mass projects as well.”

Friday, November 11, 2005

Thirty pilgrims will embark on a 500-km march — from the Namobuddha in Kavre to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha — for world peace tomorrow morning.“The team will begin their journey from Namobuddha hill on Friday and will finally pray for world peace at the sacred garden of Lumbini after walking for 25 days,” Dr Lam Ty Ni, the coordinator of the pilgrims’ team, told The Himalayan Times today.Sixty-year-old Dr Lam, also known as Ven Huyen Deieu, came to Lumbini in 1969, in search of peace from war-torn Vietnam and started working for the development of the holy shrine.The team includes 10 Vietnamese, three Indians, one Japanese, a Korean and 15 Nepalis. The eldest member of the team is 62-year-old monk Lama Karma Lhundrub, while 17-year-old nun Ven Susiloti is the youngest in the lot.The pilgrimage will pass through Banepa, Patan, Bouddha and Swoyambhu before leaving the valley from Balambhu and Naubishe on November 15. After crossing Baireni, Richoktar, Kirutar, Abukhaireni, Dumre, Damauli and Dulegauda on foot the team will reach Pokhara on November 23.Worshipping at Peace Pagoda on November 24, the pilgrims will pass through Phedikoda, Rangkhola, Waling, Galyang Bhanjyang Malumga, Arya Bhanjyang, Tansen, Kerabari, Butwal, Bhairahawa and arrive at Lumbini on December 4.The team will take shelter mainly in Buddhist vihars and public schools.Dr Lam said the pilgrimage has a spiritual as well as a symbolic meaning. He claimed that the prayer would lead to an atmosphere for peace and hoped that after seeing young and old people walking for peace, the authorities will feel the necessity to do something for the peace.According to him, all the concerned parties - the political parties, the king and the Maoists should sit together for resolving the decade-long war and let people live in peace and happiness.He said war and peace are in people’s mind and arousing conscience and compassion helps people replace war with peace.Ratnaman Skahya, a team facilitator and president of International Buddhist Meditation Centre, said two vehicles will follow the pilgrims for emergency support.